My Angel?
by DemonRyu
Summary: Squall learns that lions aren't always hunters, they can sometimes be prey.
1. Dreaming

Dreaming: Chapter One:  
  
  
He couldn't tell you the last time he dreamed.  
Of anyone, any place, nor a time that he felt happiest.  
Yet, he was dreaming right now, wasn't he?  
  
He hoped so.  
  
  
It was eerily familiar, this feeling of weightlessness. Rather like Time Compression, when he fell through sky and water. Yet then, he had Rinoa beside him.   
  
But this time, he was alone. No one here to hear him cry out for help, no one to catch him should he fall. Rather like the void he was sucked into after defeating Ultiemica.  
  
Yet then, Rinoa had saved him. A lone white feather cupped against the black leather of his glove. Before, a light had engulfed him, and he awoke, cupped in Rinoa's arms.  
  
Who would wake him now?   
  
  
He was shunted into a void of black, before a blinding rainbow of colors assaulted his vision. He closed his eyes, hands reaching out blindly, and of their own accord. After a few moments, his buoyancy was stopped as well, and he felt a weight pulling him back.  
Yet he resisted, wanting to know where this dream led.  
  
Then something familiar brushed against him: the feeling of worn leather.   
'Seifer!' was his first, panicked thought. But no - this leather was softer. So was the touch. 'Zell, perhaps Quistis...'  
Had he fainted in battle? Perhaps died? Was someone casting life on him? Full life? It was hard to tell. After dispensing and receiving so many cure, curas, curagas, life, full-life... He was unable to feel the energy, to react to what was happening to him. Gone one moment, there the next.  
  
"Open your eyes...." The voice far away, yet close. Not familiar. Squall retreated, feeling the leather press harder. A soft whimper, then the touch lessened.  
"Please?" The voice softly entreated - an order behind it. He whimpered again, the weight pulling on him dreadfully now. And it hurt. He didn't want to go back, afraid of what he'd see upon opening his eyes. It was over; they had won, hadn't they? That wasn't a dream.  
  
He cautiously opened his eyes, wincing against the sudden brightness that flooded his field of vision. He felt something shift against him, then tried again. It wasn't so bad now, yet he was still looking at the summer sky...   
It was close enough to touch, rather like how he'd felt as a child, lying in the summer grass of Matron's meadow. The sky drew back then, and a few wisps of smoke colored clouds trickled into view.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
Squall blinked, trying to get his bearings. Wait, he was looking into someone's eyes. Eyes that he didn't know. Not Quistis or Zell, neither held this luminance.  
"I..." He was unable to finish, as the person pressed fingers against his lips.   
"Just a moment..." The fingers left, replaced by the cooled tip of a flask. He was suddenly parched, yet training and the person allowed him to sip the water, when he wanted to gulp it.  
"Now, let's try that again."  
  
---  
A/N - Don't own anyone. Though I wish I did. I'm trying out a new style, so... plllllllease review. Even if you want to say you hate it. I really want to know what everyone thinks. 


	2. Squall

Squall: Chapter Two:  
  
When he'd first stumbled across the youth, he thought it was a mere boy, but now, with that tempest hued gaze looking at him, he knew that he wasn't.  
  
  
Black leather draped a lithe form, only broken by the white of his shirt and the brown of his belts. The fur lining in the collar of his jacket was almost as pale as his own hair, shot through with darker shades of gray.  
  
  
"Are you alright?" He repeated, studying the face closer now. Those eyes held the chill of a warrior, yet he seemed to slim too be one. But he knew, never judge by appearances.  
  
  
  
"Where..." His voice was husky, broken. Yet he pushed the flask away as it was offered again. "Where am I?"  
  
"You are in my private training field."  
  
A few feet away, Masamune was seated in the ground, where he had placed it after nearly falling over Squall. One did not expect to find a body lying in the grass. Not in his quarters, anyway.  
  
"Training field...." He repeated, eyes narrowing slightly. "You are a Seed?"  
  
It couldn't be. The other two Gardens were still hurting, Galbadia with its failed attack upon Balamb, Trabia - over half of that Garden was gone. None of the Seeds, that he knew, owned a private training field. Unless this was another sect of secret Seeds.  
"Seed?" The other voice questioned then a slight shake of a head.   
"I belong to ShinRa."  
  
The youth's eyes narrowed either further. Nectarine hued lips pulled   
downwards into a faint frown. "You're joking." A statement of fact, not a query, or even in shock. He truly believed that he was lying.   
  
Seafoam green clashed with gunmetal.  
"You do not believe me?"   
The soft voice had gone colder, reminding Squall of the chill he felt when he summoned Shiva. Yet, he was not known as an Ice Wolf for nothing.  
"I don't."   
  
He was suddenly hauled to his feet, black leather tight against white cotton.   
The green eyes were humming with energy; he could feel it dancing along his skin.  
"Brave words, from one who is trespassing."  
  
With that sudden snarl, Squall realized that his savior was a man. Not a woman as he'd first thought. He let his eyes drift down his body, trying to gauge his strength. Silver hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, and he too - favored all black. He wasn't in his full armor; just a simple cloth shirt tucked into black leathers.   
With an inward sigh, he grasped the man's wrists.   
  
  
  
"It would be best if you released me."  
One silver brow lifted, and then Sephiroth dropped him. Squall, promptly fell upon his ass again, still weak from whatever had thrown him here. Sephiroth couldn't help it; the indignant look the boy had held became one of shocked surprise that his feet would betray him so.  
  
Squall, meanwhile, seethed as Sephiroth's laughter faded.  
"You honestly do not know about ShinRa? Are you a Seed that you speak off?"  
Squall refused to answer, and the silver haired general sighed.  
"Very well. My name is Sephiroth. Your's?"  
  
At the mention of the name, Squall's eyes went wide again, and a very   
unpleasant buzzing started in his head again. The colors around him rippled, before he felt himself falling to the side, blackness eclipsing his vision. 


	3. Lionheart

LionHeart: Chapter Three:  
  
  
  
It wasn't until he stripped him of his jacket, that he was sure that he was a warrior. His arms were not as bulky as one who fought with their fists, but years of swinging a weapon gave one a certain line to their arms and body. It would explain why he was so lean. His clothing fetish explained why he was so pale.  
  
Even though he'd fainted, he wasn't running a fever, nor did he have the chills. Sephiroth frowned thoughtfully, then pulled a thin cotton sheet up to his chest. Perhaps he just needed sleep, if one was judging from the dark smudges under his eyes. Maybe when he awoke, he'd finally find out his name.  
  
He placed the jacket and gloves on a small dresser, then closed the door gently as he left the room. Although worried about his new guest, he wanted to retrieve Masamune. Not that anyone would dare come here uninvited...  
A small smile lit his lips, one had dared, and he placed him in his bedroom. What would Zack say?  
  
After pulling Masamune from it's dirt sheath, he ran a gloved hand along the blade, wiping off the more visible specks. He'd give it a more through cleansing later. A faint humming caught his ears, and he turned slightly towards the sound, gripping the hilt a bit more tightly.  
  
He frowned slightly, wondering if yet another had dared to drop onto his training field. He walked towards the sound, the humming become more intense as he drew closer. Also, a faint blue sheen could be noticed.  
  
He was not expecting what he saw, lying in the grass like a discarded toy.  
  
Lionheart.  
  
Sephiroth blinked, crouching down to get a closer look at the weapon. The whole blade shimmered with energy, yet it was not materia equipped. The hilt of the weapon was gun shaped, a silver lion perched upon it. A lion with wings...  
This belonged to that boy? He reached over to pick it up, surprised when he was unable to lift it as easily as he'd thought. The weapon was a lot heavier then it looked, yet he and the owner were built the same. Could it be then, that he was telling the truth? He was not of this time, and perhaps... not even of this world.  
  
'Seed.' He mused, running the edge of a gloved finger along the shimmering blade.   
  
  
'Squall...'  
He tried to reach out to the voice, wincing when he fell to his knees. The light before him was so close, but something was telling to stay away from it.  
'Sis... Why am I here...?'  
  
There was no answer to his question.  
  
  
--  
Notes: I own nothing. Squaresoft is god of all.  
Vote time: Should it be a Sephiroth/Squall pairing? (That's how I had it orginally planned...but... I don't want to seem as though I'm taking anoyone else's plot bunnies or anything)  
So, you get to help decide! Review/email, however. Just let me know your thoughts. =) 


	4. Missing

Missing: Chapter Four  
  
His eyes weren't so bright today. It reminded her of a mist-covered glen in Ireland, one she'd seen in a book. A green to dark to be true brought on by the elements surrounding the land.  
  
Rather like the reason why his eyes were so dark.  
  
"No change?"  
  
The dark haired woman shook her head, closing the book she'd been reading.  
  
The light blue coverlet seemed to swamp the small frame upon the bed. Raven colored strands were strewn across a pristine white pillow. She'd move her head sometimes, looking as though she'd wanted to cry out. But her eyes never opened. She'd been this way for two weeks, ever since...  
  
With a sigh, a hand raked though short golden strands. They were both lost him now. One within the haze of her mind, the other not even on this earth, for all they knew.  
  
They had all found each other in the field, and then Squall had been sucked away. By who or what.... They had no idea. Even Ellone had tried to call for him, but had been unable to break whatever spell had been cast.  
  
"Seifer..." She spoke his name softly, and he looked up, unaware that his head had dropped. "They'll be alright. Edea is working on it."  
  
"I hope so..." He took another look at Rinoa, then slowly turned and walks away. Ellone didn't try to stop him; instead, she went back to where she had marked her page.  
  
They'd often been read this book as child, the tale of Cloud and his group of friends, out to save the world. But she'd always felt for the villain in this story... A cast aside angel.  
  
He was part of the reason Squall and Seifer had taken up the gunblade, that and the movie Laguna had made, so long ago. Seifer had adapted Laguna's stance, but his love of swordplay had all come from this book.  
  
She had just begun to read of Aeris' death, when a few blue droplets began to splotch the pages.  
  
  
'Damnit all ta' hell....'  
Irvine scowled as his aim was off again. He'd hit the bulls-eye, but not on the target he'd been aiming at.   
  
A few feet away, he heard the relentless pounding of an overstuffed punching bag - stop. He turned slightly, glancing at Zell.   
His usual upbeat hair was limp, drenched with sweat. Zell had been going at it for almost three hours, and he was red from exertion. It seemed he'd undone his junctions, Irvine had seen him knock a bag clear off with one punch.  
  
"You alright?" He drawled, watching as Zell lifted his head. He was wearing his old knuckles, his first pair. Black masking tape was wound around the metal and leather, the only thing holding them together.  
"Do I look like I'm alright?" He asked, puffing his bangs from his face.  
"You look like you wanna beat the shit outta something otha' then a bag..."  
Zell just nodded, eyes studying the red leather of the bag.  
"Training center? Coupla' hours?"  
"Yea. Should we ask Quisty and Selphie?"  
Irvine nodded. He'd yet to see either of them for a day, both were holed up in the library, going through the many books of magic and para-magic that the Gardens and Laguna had sent to them. All in an effort to find Squall.  
  
  
He slowly started to dust the hilt of the weapon, looking for any cracks amongst the gleaming pewter of the lion. As the cloth ran over the base, he noticed something under the left hind paw. His eyes narrowed for a moment, till he saw that it wasn't a flaw, but an inscription.  
  
Griever.  
  
  
  
  
  
---  
A/N - Tried to make this one a bit longer. ^_^ Yes, I will have Vinnie in this, hopefully in a very original way... and No, Zack will not be with Aeris. (Watches the plot bunnies go wild) Hehe, maybe I'll write the next chapter in a few minutes...  
Disclaimers: I wish I owned them, I'd make clones, and give them out to people whom review. : Plays with her new Fett toy: 


	5. Griever

Griever: Chapter Five:  
  
Sooty lashes fluttered. Once, twice, then slowly started to lift.  
He groaned, feeling as though he was in the water. It seemed to take forever to press his fingertips to his forehead. This reminded him all too vividly of when he'd awoken in the Infirmary, forehead throbbing due to a new wound.  
  
He felt the rough flesh of his scar, tracing it for a second when a voice spoke up from his left.  
"So. You are awake."  
  
The bandana was ragged, the color of it as dark as freshly spilled blood. But no matter how carefully he wound it, a few wisps of black seemed to escape from its hold.  
He supposed his hair was too long, hanging mid back in a heavy mass of black silk. It hadn't always been that way, but sometimes, he enjoyed the weight of his hair, one of the few things that kept him tethered to this world.  
  
Behind crimson eyes, Chaos lurked.  
  
  
Squall's eyes widened for a second. It wasn't the good doctor, asking him how his head felt. A rather inane question, he'd always thought. After all, it was his blood that'd been all over her lab coat.   
Jade eyes were settled on him, eyes from a book he'd read. The very man that Seifer had modeled himself after, and strived to be.  
  
"Sephiroth." The silver head canted slightly, and then those eyes were upon him again, darker then earlier. Deadlier.  
  
"I found your... Weapon, outside." Pause, while Squall's eyes narrowed slightly. Something was up...  
"How did you come to be in possession of Griever?"  
  
  
Ellone frowned as she flipped through the pages again. She knew this book inside out, or so she had thought. Vincent had been killed before Cloud awakened him, killed by Hojo and then joined by 'spirits' as they had been described to the children.  
However, as she had read right now, he was very much alive.  
And planning on extracting his revenge on those who had taken his love.  
He was planning on making them Grieve.  
  
  
"Griever?" Squall questioned, stalling. It seemed he knew of Griever, but Squall did not understand why that would worry him.  
"He's been in my family for..."  
Actually, he didn't know. Nor, who he'd come from. He'd assumed Raine's after Laguna's rather fumbled confession upon the plane and in the palace. It didn't take an idiot to put two and two together, along with what Ellone had told him.  
"So. You command him? He aids you?'  
  
"What do you mean..." He saved from whatever else Sephiroth had been about to ask, thanks to a sharp rap on the door. With a slight scowl, the fair headed man stood. He'd been holding the Lionheart, and carefully placed it upon the bed. Although he'd never wield a weapon such as it, he felt a kinship with the blade that he could not understand or explain.  
"We *will* discuss this later." In a tone that brooked no argument.  
He walked towards the door, then paused, turning.  
"By the way..." Squall waited. "What is your name?"  
  
"Squall. Squall Leonhart." The youth replied, a bit sullenly. He was still groggy, and Sephiroth's sudden grilling had not been welcomed.  
"Squall..." The other repeated, softly, their eyes locking as he did so. "It fits." A small smile flitted around his lips, and then he was gone.   
With a sigh, Squall let his eyes close again.  
  
  
--  
A/N - Yes, it's slowly moving along. This is where I beg for help. ^_^ I've gotten up to Disc 2 on FFVII - buuuuttt... I don't know much about Zack and Vinnie. So - if anyone can point out any links with info on those two, I will be indebted to you for the remainder of this story. ^^  
Usual Disclaimers: Square owns them all. :sniff: 


	6. Enlightenment

Enlightenment: Chapter Six:  
  
  
Sephiroth opened the door, eyes meeting a familiar pair.   
Though his were mako enchanted as well, the deeper blue tint held true.  
  
"Zack." No surprise - just the arch of one silver brow, and the faint upward curl to the right side of his lips. Zack grinned.   
"Did you know I was coming?"  
"No. Today seems to be the day I receive guests."  
  
Zack's eyebrow quirked in a perplexed manner. "You have another guest? Where?"  
He tried to peer over Sephiroth's shoulder, but all he was saw was the empty living room, Masamune lying upon a special cloth that was draped over the coffee table.  
  
"He's in my bed."  
"Oh." Zack just uttered in response, and when it hit him - what Sephiroth had actually said, he tone was an octave or two higher then normal.  
"WHAT?!"  
  
The taller of the two winced, then smirked at his friend's wide-eyed look.  
"I want you to meet him."  
"Look.. Seph.. I'm your friend and all... But I... I mean..." Pause. He could feel his face burning, and that he was stuttering over the words he was trying to speak. Why must his tongue trip him up so?  
  
Sephiroth laughed at his friend's discomfort.  
"No, no. Perhaps you can help me. He seems to know who I am, but doesn't want to talk to me."  
"I wonder why..."  
"I heard that." Zack held his arms up, and took two steps back.  
"Seriously. I don't think he's from our world, Zack. Perhaps he'll talk to you, you have that way of instantly bonding with someone."  
Zack tilted his head to the side, seeming to carefully study the weight of Sephiroth's words. Then, we a slight nod, he smiled.  
"Alright."  
"I thank you."  
"That's what friends are for."  
  
  
  
Quistis looked up as a book was yanked from her hands, into a pair of deep violet eyes. Made even darker by the smudges beneath them. Wisps of auburn hung around them, and she blinked for a moment to make sure she was not visioning Irvine standing before her.  
"Me and Zell are taking you guys away for a while."  
"But we..."  
"No buts. Quisty... We have to get you and Sefie out of here before you go mad. When was the last time you ate, do you remember?"  
"..."  
"I thought as much. We're leaving, now. You collapsing wouldn't help Squall any. C'mon, this will all still be here when you get back."  
  
With a sigh, Quistis accepted his hand, and let him help her up. He was right, perhaps. He back protested at first, having gotten used to her slightly bowed position she had fallen into while researching. It didn't help that'd she fallen asleep at the table for an hour.  
"Edea..."  
"Cid's already gotten her, and is forcing her to take a nap."  
  
Ellone glanced up at the rustling noise. Seifer had returned, and was sitting next to Rinoa's bed, running his fingers through raven strands.  
"I started rereading my copy of that book." A pause, as he watched her hair slip through his fingers, as though he was trailing them in inky water.  
"Did you notice a change as well?"  
"You mean... Vincent..."  
Seifer nodded. "I think I know where Squall is."  
Ellone breathed. "No..."  
He glanced over to her, emerald eyes dark with a sort of knowledge, yet fear. "He's in the book, Sis. Griever took him to that world."  
  
---  
Notes: A huge thanks to Dina. ^_^ :hands her a chibi Zack:  
Hopefully, the next chapter will explain everything. :Dun dun dun.. Hojo!:  
So, I hope it's all working so far. :sweatdrops:  
Also, I want to thank everyone that has reviewed. It means a lot to me.  
  
Discliamers: I still don't own anyone. :looks at Sephy prance around in field and sighs: I waaaaaannnnnttttt. 


	7. Valentine

Valentine: Chapter Seven:  
  
  
He'd never paid much attention to his name. Not until a certain holiday had rolled around. However, it was just another day, nothing special. But this year, it was special, for the first time. He was in love.  
  
Among the Turks, he was known as the most efficient, and the coldest. He'd risen quickly in the ranks, praised for any jobs he'd handled.   
Vincent seemed to have a natural affinity with his weapon of choice, the pistol. He was a better marksman then most of the snipers the Turks had in their ranks, but some didn't think it was natural. They said that he wasn't human, or he'd been altered in some way. A few called him Death.  
  
The man who shared a name with the Patron of love didn't have a heart. He'd believed them, even agreed - till he met her. His angel.  
  
  
  
"As you know... Griever is a Guardian Force that seems to belong to Squall."   
"That is true, yet it is also false. Griever is a force unto his own, choosing whom he will junction with. A power borne of the strongest force in nature, the power of human emotion. Given life by magic."  
A pause. "I've never understood why Squall named his ring Griever. Even Squall was unable to tell me why."  
"He will join those with strong emotions, even if seems to others that he or she - has none. But Griever is not only of our world, he is also part of another. A world we all believed was false, a fairy tale.  
A world real to one of magic."  
  
  
  
He never asked why he'd been the one to guard this project, although he found it boring as all hell. He was in the middle of nowhere, and he'd thought he'd left the small towns years ago. Not that he missed anyone at headquarters or anywhere for that matter. But, he'd become used to do something every night. Not guarding someone whom wouldn't let him down to where he worked. Vincent was fast, and quite alert when watching, but Flash Gordon he was not.  
He'd never paid much attention to what was going on. (Ghast and Hojo were a bit too odd for him.) But once Lucrecia arrived, everything changed. He found himself wanting to be with her more and more often.  
  
They often shared talks and evenings together. Vincent started to look forward to the times they would meet, ignoring Ghast and Hojo. He'd even begun to forget the real reason why he was there.   
  
That was until he saw Hojo and her together. They were hugging, and he ran his fingers through her hair. She smiled up at him, and then he...  
Vincent had run, unable to believe what he was seeing.  
  
He was happy that she was happy, wasn't he? That's what he told himself for a week. Lucrecia didn't understand why Vincent had suddenly grown so distant. It stayed that way for a month, then Vincent found out she was pregnant, and what was going on.  
Trying to talk her out of allowing Hojo to inject cells into her unborn child, perhaps his unborn child - fell short. She refused to listen to him. He pleased with her, all to no avail.  
  
Then, a child had been born. Vincent heard the news from another in town, and rushed to the mansion. The one day he'd been away, she would give birth. The mansion was silent, still as a tomb. He found Lucrecia on the ground, and pleaded with her to stay alive for him.   
It was too late, she whispered she loved him as her eyes closed one last time.   
With a heavy heart, and murder on his mind, Vincent went down to the basement.  
  
"Hojo!"   
The scientist turned, a baby wrapped in a blue blanket lying upon one of the lab tables.  
"What is it, Vincent? I'm busy."  
"Lucrecia..."  
"Lucrecia, what?"  
"She's dead."  
Hojo paused for a moment, then turned back to the child.  
"Pity. But the child is alive, that's all that matters."  
  
It seemed the basement had grown even colder, and Hojo paused again when he heard the 'click' of a hammer being drawn back. With a slight sigh, he turned around once more.  
"Foolish Turk."  
Vincent didn't even get to shoot, as he felt something pierce his left side, a sudden sharp pain. He felt himself falling, as the colors around him began to swirl.  
  
  
"Lucrecia..."   
"Yes, Vincent?"  
"I am so sorry... I wanted to..."  
"It is alright, Vincent. You will be helped. We have decided..."  
"We...?"  
Darkness, then light, darkness again. Light. Shapes. People. No, not people. A thing. Big. Wings. Monster... No, it had a cat like face...  
"Are you grieving right now, Vincent? Are you sad, are you hurt?"  
Choruses of child like voices around him. Filling his emotions. He was hurt, he was angry. He wanted revenge.  
"Grieving." He repeated.  
  
  
"Make them grieve, Vincent. Make them bleed."   
  
  
  
  
--  
Happy Birthday, Pixie!  
(ps, if I have seriously screwed over Vincent, let me know, and I will fix this chapter. As I said before, I really haven't played the game.. so...)  
Disclaimers: I own no one.  
:Hands Pix her b-day gift. A large black cake with blood red icing. In fact, she has to wheel the thing in. Hands her a boom box with some 'music' in it.:  
Hit play, and you'll be surprised by something inside! ^^ :will allow Pix's mind to take that to where-ever she wants. ^^v) 


	8. Reflections

Reflections: Chapter Eight:  
  
  
Zack poked his head though the bedroom door. The white sheets surrounding Squall swamped his slim form. Sephiroth wasn't that tall, but they had ordered this huge bed for him, which took up over one half of the bedroom.  
  
Squall lay on his side; Lionheart cradled next to him as though it were a stuffed animal. The blue sheen of the blade bathed his porcelain skin and the pillow in it's light, making his features seem even softer, younger. The angry slash on his forehead didn't stand out as much, not that it had distracted from his eleven beauty in the first place.  
Zack chuckled to himself, no wonder Sephiroth had decided to carry him off.   
  
"Must you always think with that brain?" A smooth voice enquired behind him, and Zack smirked.   
"Not always."  
Silence. He didn't have to turn to know that his friend had just rolled his eyes and shook his head. For men of their age, they often acted far younger.  
  
"If you would please, speak to him."  
"But he looks so cute, I don't want to..."  
"Zack." He stilled. There was an air of urgency in Sephiroth's tone. One unfamiliar to the dark haired man. In all the time he'd know him...  
"He has Griever. I need to know how. I need to why. I need to know where he is from. Please."  
".... Alright...."  
  
Zack stepped into the room, softly moving across the carpeted floor to perch on the edge of the bed. Squall shifted, brown furrowing, lips tightening into a faint scowl.  
'Dreaming... Should I wake him?'   
  
The question was answered as Zack leaned forward, and Squall's eyes opened at the same instant.   
His pupils were dilated, onyx surrounded by a thin ring of mercury.  
  
Squall saw a pair of concerned eyes, veiled by soft black bangs.  
"Laguna...?" He questioned, hopefully. He just wanted to wake up, to be home. Wherever that was, whenever that was. For the first time, he'd allowed himself to trust in his friends, opened his heart to someone for the second, and dared to believe in something called love.  
And he'd been brought here, for no rhyme or reason.  
  
"No." The owner of the eyes said softly, sadly. "My name is Zack."  
  
  
Sephiroth closed the door, sighing. 'He has no idea what he's in for.'  
Truly, none of them did, but he suspected. Which was more then enough for him to want to take action. He wasn't sure until he'd found the weapon that Griever was still alive. They all thought he'd been trapped in Vincent forever, after Hojo had tried to place Mako energy inside of him. Sephiroth was used to the energy, the slow burning yet chilled feeling it gave your body as it went through your veins.   
Zack had taken to it well, although not as advanced as Sephiroth, he didn't get as sick anymore.  
Vincent however, snapped. When Chaos had taken over him the first time, he had killed Ghast and ruined over half a decade's research. Luckily, no one in the town had any idea what was going on, since he and Zack had taken care of the situation. They had been what... twelve, thirteen?  
  
He never forgot how the dark haired man had stared at him. There was a pale blue edge to the blood colored eyes. Showing he'd once been human, as Hojo as explained. But those eyes showed nothing human; instead an insane anger glinted. But as he looked at him, something had changed, the ruby color fading a bit, as did the anger.  
"Get away while you can."  
  
"What?" He had sputtered, confused.  
"Leave. Because... Next time, I will kill you. Make no mistake about that."   
And in a flash of crimson and black, he was gone.  
  
What had he seen that made Vincent spare him? Sephiroth had long searched for the answer. Maybe this time, he would finally be able to find out.  
  
  
"Who's Laguna?"  
"He's... My..."  
'My What, Squall. You're not even sure yourself, though you suspect. But is suspecting knowing?'  
"Nevermind. I'm sure he's someone important to you."  
Squall just nodded, noticing the different tint to Zack's eyes, the light blue reminding him of colored contacts. Seifer's would sometimes slip if he moved his head too quickly, but you could tell the deep purple-blue color was not his.  
It seemed the same with Zack's eyes, the blue rippling over a pool of green, never one true color.   
  
"Sephiroth asked me to speak to you." The brunette's eyes closed, a sigh released, then he opened them again.   
"I suppose I must not be dreaming then. You are a Solider?"  
"Yes..."  
"And part of Shrin-Ra?"  
"Yes..."  
"But you're supposed to be dead."  
  
  
Sephiroth glanced upon the polished blade of the Masamune. A pair of green eyes stared back, framed by long silver lashes, nearly translucent. It'd become a sort of habit, staring into mirrors and pools, just looking into his eyes.  
He tried to see himself through them, tried to see what everyone else saw.   
But all he saw was the same thing every time,   
  
  
Nothing.  
  
  
  
"Dead?" Zack questioned, paling a bit. Squall nodded.   
"Yes.... You died, and Cloud took your place. But.... Something went wrong, because I'm here. Or maybe I was thrown back before the book started."  
"Book?"  
Another nod, "You're a fictional character.... In a book I read as a child. It's why Seifer and I took up the swords. We wanted to be you, Cloud, and Sephiroth." A pause.  
"But you're in front of me now. As he is. What am I supposed to believe? My eyes, or what my memories tell me?  
  
---  
I tried to make it a little longer. -_-;;   
So, continue, yay or nay? ^_^  
Disclaimers: I own a lot of Squaresoft games, but everyone within this story belongs to them, not I. 


	9. Truths?

Truths? : Chapter Nine:  
  
  
They'd never made it to the training center. After getting the girls from the library, Irvine had cast a sleeping spell on Quistis. He'd seen her sway as soon as she stood up and the unsteady gait to her walk. She wouldn't make in the center. Not without food and rest.  
  
She was cradled against him now, as Selphie and Zell both blinked.  
"She needs ta sleep."   
Zell just shrugged, but Selphie's face held a sort of wistful smile. She'd long suspected, but wasn't sure 'til now. As close as they were.... It was love of siblings that had bound them. Zell glanced from Quistis to Selphie, then scratched the back of his head.  
"Ya wanna get something to eat instead of training?"  
"Sure."   
  
They walked Irvine back to the dorms, and Selphie had keyed in Quistis' code for Irvine. He smiled his thanks, and as the door slid shut behind him, Selphie turned to Zell.  
  
"The Trepies are gonna kill him."   
Zell started laughing.  
  
  
Seifer had slipped away when Ellone had gone to get something to eat. She had a feeling he returned to his room, so she'd follow. She had something that she needed to know.  
  
  
  
The room had lapsed into an uneasy silence after Squall's question to Zack. The dark haired man sighed, then ran a hand through his hair, causing his bangs to stick up even further.  
"Tell me, Squall... You believe in magic?"  
He nodded. Although they controlled para-magic - it was still magic.   
"Then, there is your answer."  
  
"Magic?" Squall repeated, a bit scornfully.  
  
  
When Quistis awoke, it was to feel an unfamiliar weight draped around her. She was pressed against something warm, something... breathing...  
She cracked open an eye, then blinked heavily when she saw whom she was pulled against. Irvine had locked his arms round her waist, as trying to keep her safe from something.   
  
Mahogany colored strands fell in haphazard display around his face, and as he shifted slightly, a few bangs tickled the tip of his nose. He murmured something, but didn't move his hand to brush away the strands that were bothering him. She reached up, slowly, as to not disturb him, then carefully tucked the silken tendrils behind his ear. As she was drawing he hand back down, she found herself giving into an urge to brush the pad of her thumb against the curve of his lower lip.   
  
She'd knew that Irvine had a softer side, considering he'd be the one to hold her the day after Squall's disappearance. He'd found her down at the shore's edge, curled up into a ball, still shaking although she'd run out of tears. Irvine was the only one who told her he knew how she still felt about Squall. That she had lied while they were at Trabia. He said he understood why though, sacrificing one's happiness for another, and the longing of a love not returned.  
  
"Don't make me start havin' the wrong ideas, Quisty...."   
  
  
Ellone made her way towards Seifer's room, pausing in the hallway. She tightened her shawl, as though it were armor. It was a nervous habit, something she did before having to deal with something she was either afraid of or worried about. Right now, she wasn't sure where she stood with Seifer. But he knew more then he was letting on, but she didn't know how.  
  
A light drumbeat could be heard behind the steel door, so he was inside. She knocked, then waited. Knocked again, a bit louder. Just as she was about to knock again, the door slid open, and she stepped inside.  
  
Seifer was reclining on the couch, jacket and boots thrown onto the floor next to him. He'd mostly undone the buttons on his vest, and trouser clad legs were crossed at the ankle, resting on the far end of the couch. His eyes were closed, the lamplight turning his hair a deep aureate color. The music was familiar, haunting. She didn't understand the words, but she could hear Seifer singing, his voice a mere whispers above the true singers.  
  
"Vattnet kommer att vara din enda spegel... Men först när ytan är som glas kan du se..."  
  
For a moment, she saw the glimmer of verdant as his eyes opened, before they were veiled behind black lashes again.  
  
  
"Hur många sagor du har kvar... Du kommer att vädja om befrielse..."  
  
A brief pause, as the drums changed, and the tension in the room thickened.  
"What is it, Ellone?"  
"Seifer.... I want to ask you something...."  
  
He reminded her of a golden panther, stretched out as he was. But not a lazy cat, no.... He was coiled, ready to spring, though he looked relaxed to the untrained eye. Ellone remembered the boy he was, but was unsure of the man before her now.  
  
"How I know so much?", a derisive snort followed his words.  
"Yes...."  
  
"I am a part of them both Ellone, as they are a part of me. I can give you the answers you seek...."  
He turned to face her again, and she took a slight step back. His eyes were no longer green; instead they held angry amber sparks.  
"But do you really wish to know? Or even ask the questions?"  
  
  
  
"Yes, Magic." Zack repeated, undaunted by Squall's scowl. He'd dealt with worse, and with those who could throw far better sulks then he was able.  
"You said that believed in it, why is so hard to think that it brought you here?"  
"It didn't bring me here." Squall snapped. "Griever did."  
  
Neither of them had heard Sephiroth open the door, he'd been watching them for a few seconds.   
"Well, isn't Griever magic?"  
He asked, setting down a small tray he had carried in.  
"Apparently not." Zack replied, reaching over to snag an apple. Sephiroth swatted his hand away, then wagged a finger at him, explaining that it was for Squall.   
Squall sighed and turned away, remembering when he and Seifer had joked around like that. It seemed so long ago, yet it truly hadn't been.  
  
Notes: Don't own anyone. : Sigh: Hey, this one got up to three pages! Woo-hoo. ^_~  
Song used : Alter Mann - Rammstein. Here's the English version of the lyrics:  
  
The water will be your only mirror   
But only when the surface is like glass you can see   
How many fairytales you have left   
You will beg for your relief 


	10. Past

Past: Chapter Ten:  
  
Sephiroth glanced over at his guest. The boy was quiet again, not a surprise, but his eyes... There was something wistful.  
"I'll just leave this here for you."  
  
Zack frowned, then glanced at Squall as well. With a slight shrug of his shoulder's, he rose off the bed.  
Squall heard them leave, but his mind was elsewhere.  
  
'...Seifer...'  
  
  
His whole skin had a golden taint to it. Seifer had always been able to tan easily, but nothing like this. It was as though he had a gold aura surrounding him.  
  
"Seifer. I..."  
Another smile, not as angry, or as a smirk as was his usual way of showing amusement. This was slightly bittersweet, and his eyes closed again.  
  
"I know of that world, of that book. I was in it."  
"What?"  
"During Time Compression... When Squall was lost. So was I."  
  
Ellone furrowed her brows. She didn't remember anything during that time, except Laguna telling her to close her eyes, and pretend she was dreaming. Soon, they'd all wake up, he had told her.  
  
  
Squall was remembering as well. How everything had been, till that summer. Seifer, after failing another field exam, had been made to go to Timber for three months. Squall didn't understand why, neither did Seifer. If they wanted him to learn discipline, they would have sent him to Galbadia Garden.  
The night before he left...  
He hitched in a breath.  
  
  
Laguna had that much faith in Squall. She knew he was worried now, as was everyone, but he had to take care of Esthar, still in shambles after the Lunar Cry. Or he'd be here, pacing, wishing he'd told him before.  
Or at least, tell him that he loved him.  
  
"Squall wandered the plains, alone. I could feel him calling out for us... Rinoa and I. I however, awoke somewhere completely different."  
  
  
Everyone knew about their rivalry. People assumed they hated each other, but that was only a public facade. Behind closed doors, when they were alone, it was different. As their lips touched, Squall finally told him the words he'd stored in his heart for the past two years.  
"I love you."  
  
  
"I felt like I was underwater, yet instead of being weightless, something was pressing down on me. It was so hard to get my eyes to open, and when I did... Everything was coated in an off green color. Rather like night-vision goggles. But even more enhanced."   
  
'Something to my left....'  
It took forever to turn his body around, or so it felt. He saw that there was another in the tube across from him, his dark hair spread around him as though he had wings. A name came to mind, as he was about to speak it, footsteps began to thunder in his ears.  
  
'Danger.'   
His mind immediately barked, yet he was unable to close his eyes. Just as suddenly as he'd heard the footsteps, they were gone, and instead, a man was in front of him.  
Hair as dark as the man... 'Zack' in the other tube, eyes appraising him. One dark, the other split between two colors. Seifer was suddenly glad that this tube was between them, for it seemed he didn't wish to break the glass.  
  
"You... Do not belong here." Though his lips didn't move, Seifer felt the voice echo in his head, reverberating in his skull like thunder.  
'No shit...' was his immediate thought, and man's lips curled up faintly on the left side.   
"You must return."  
Seifer bristled. He still disliked taking orders, and he felt that something was probing at his memories. After Ultimecia...  
He lashed out at the glass, eyes widening when he saw that his hands were not his own.   
'What...'  
  
He was unable to think anymore, as he felt something being ripped from him. A scream reached his ears; it was only after a few seconds that he realized he was the one screaming.  
"Not the one I seek, but close enough to him." A voice whispered, taunting him. "You shall bring him to be me. For this, I'll let you leave with a gift."  
Cloud's body started convulsing in the tube, as Seifer's consciousness was being forcibly removed from him, as it had already started to overlap his own.   
The scream cut off suddenly, instead become a tortured howl as Seifer looked upon the face one more time. A manic grin had replaced the slight smile, before his world exploded into bright stars.  
  
  
"I love you too, Squall."  
Seifer whispered, pulling him ever closer.  
  
  
"Seifer..." She murmured his name, and his eyes opened briefly. Looking at her, through her.   
"When I finally came to, I was clutching Rinoa in my arms, screaming for her to come back. I think when he sent me here; he'd forced some of the Mako energy into me. I don't know how..."  
  
A pause. "Rinoa... I didn't think it was possible, perhaps because of what happened, she'd passed her gift into me. Not all of it, I know that."  
  
"Seifer...."  
  
  
He reached out, expecting to feel him there. Instead, his fingers found empty sheets, lingering warmth upon them from Seifer's body.   
  
Upon Seifer's return, something was different. Squall didn't know how different, till the knock on his door the day of the field exam.  
  
  
  
---  
Notes: Squaresoft owns everyone used within, Not I.  
;_; Sorry this too so long to update, but my plot decided to run away from me. Maybe it'll come back. :hopes: ^^; 


	11. Present

Present : Chapter 11   


Quistis smiled slightly, continuing to lightly trace the pads of her fingers against his skin, marveling at its softness. "What if I want you to get the wrong idea?"  
Irvine swallowed, starting to open his eyes.   
"Quisty, don't..."  
Before he could finish speaking, she kissed him.

Squall reached out for the glass of water, taking a small sip after studying it. He still wasn't hungry, though he knew he should eat. He closed his eyes, reaching out to feel his junctions. Shiva was there, her cool presence comforting. Leviathan as well, and one even further back, if he probed for it. But not now. He didn't want to feel that presence, forced into him when Edea accepted a dying Sorceress' powers. 

**_'You have something that belongs to me.'_**

He jerked, almost dropping the glass of water.

**_ 'I'm coming to claim what is mine.'_**

_'You can try.'_ Squall countered, feeling his two guardian forces bristle at the intrusion.

Laughter floated around him, melodious, unnerving.

**_'I am a hunter, and you are my prey, Lion. I will find you, and the Angel cannot save you now.'_**

Angel... Did he mean Rinoa? But she was.. She was gone. Of course she couldn't save him again. Unless... Sephiroth...

"So, what are you planning to do?"  
Zack had flopped onto Sephiroth's couch, making himself comfortable. Sephiroth sighed and shook his head.  
"I don't know. There isn't much I can do. He won't let me."  
"Maybe you should convince him like you convinced me."   
A faint flush started to color Sephiroth's cheekbones, and Zack laughed. "I'm just kidding. You do have to admit though..."

"Admit what?"  
Both turned to see Squall standing in the doorway, struggling to get his jacket back on.  
"Uh.. Nothing.."

It was Zack's turn to color now, but Sephiroth wasn't smiling. In fact, as he rose, he was prepared to tie Squall to the bed if need be.  
"What do you think you are doing?"

"I am no one's prey." Squall replied, pulling on a glove.   
"...What?"

Squall scowled, looking up. "Someone told me he was a hunter, and I'm his prey. I plan on finding him before he finds me."  
"You won't be able to."  
"And how do you know that?"  
"Do you even know whom you will be searching for?"

Sephiroth had quite a bit of patience. Being friends with Zack made one able to bear almost anything. However, Squall's attitude was beginning to grate on his nerves.

"I don't care who..."  
"You'll be searching for Vincent Valentine." Sephiroth snapped, cutting him off.

Ellone walked over to Seifer, kneeling down beside him. Seifer curled onto his side almost immediately, and she would her arms around him. She could feel the beginning of the tremors through his body, and softly told him it'd be allright to cry.  
For she already was.

"Vincent Valentine?"  
Squall repeated the name, trying to recall who that was. When realization finally hit him, he looked even paler then normal. Sephroith smirked. 

"Now, will you let me help you?"  
At those words, Squall fell forward, and Sephiroth, only because of his quick reflexes, caught him. That was when the dam finally broke, and Squall let the tears fall.   


====

I know - it's been Forever! I'm really sorry. ;_; If anyone is still interesting in reading this, I thank you! :many hugs: Disclaimers: Don't Own. As usual. 


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